Hey, you know what’s awesomely reliable and of high quality? Canadian socialized health care. That’s why Canadian Premier Danny Williams, of Newfoundland and Labrador, is coming to the United States for heart surgery. Because Canadian health care is that awesome.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is set to undergo heart surgery this week in the United States.
CBC News confirmed Monday that Williams, 59, left the province earlier in the day and will have surgery later in the week.
The premier’s office provided few details, beyond confirming that he would have heart surgery and saying that it was not necessarily a routine procedure.
And this non-routine surgery couldn’t be conducted in Canada? I hear they have awesome health care there. Free and wonderful for everyone! That’s why all of our governors and Congressmen go running to Toronto for heart surgery. Oh, wait. They don’t. They go to any number of hospitals in their own states or Congressional districts.
Canada: The Land of Health Care So Awesome That Its Politicians Undergo Surgery in the United States.
Via Instapundit.
2. February 2010 at 2:12 pm
This article is hilarious due to its ignorance of Canadian provincial services.
NFLD is simply too small to have this type of high tech surgery.
Obviously the writer knows nothing about that Province. (I bet the writer cannot even name the capital of NFLD or name the Canadian provinces, either.)
Thankfully, Canada pays for most ‘out of country’ services that Canadians require, so he’ll get treatment. (Which is the main point of the Canadian system: universal coverage for all.)
2. February 2010 at 2:50 pm
So typical to take one example and destroy the whole system!!
He obviously is wealthy, just like here in the states, if you have
money you have health care but F*** the rest.
How about that floating hospital in Haiti right now, maybe it should
float around main stream America whe it returns!!
2. February 2010 at 2:55 pm
Just so that you don’t get the wrong idea as to why our beloved Premier is going to the US for his surgery….
It is apparently a procedure that is not available here. Our health care system, here in Canada, IS “that awesome”. You won’t find anybody in Canada turned away from a hospital because they don’t have the right kind of insurance. Our system treats everybody equally, from pauper to millionaire.
Yes, there are times when there is a new procedure that is available in the US and not here. There are also times when a procedure is available in Canada and not in the US. It’s all a matter of who is on the cutting edge of a particular type of research.
So, don’t get all excited thinking that this is an example of a Canadian thinking that the US system is better. It’s not. We don’t believe that, and neither do those of you in the US who are thinking clearly.
For the record, Canada is not communist or socialist or facist. The base of our economy is capitalism. We just happen to think that EVERYBODY, regardless of income, is entitled to the same level of health-care.
2. February 2010 at 3:03 pm
So you all get to share in advanced procedures none of you access to? Except, of course, the millionaires who can afford the advanced procedures in the United States.
So while the paupers can’t get the procedure, the millionaires can. In other words, millionaires have access to better care than paupers.
Good to know. Thanks for clearing that one up.
2. February 2010 at 3:04 pm
Paul, so in Canada they have a unique system where wealthy people have access to better care than poor people.
Sounds like quite an innovation. I’d like to subscribe to your newsletter.
2. February 2010 at 3:06 pm
E Chase,
If it’s simply a matter of this province, why not go to another province? Why travel out of Canada and into that horrible system of American health care?
2. February 2010 at 3:37 pm
Mr. Tawney,
You seem to have the wrong idea. Nobody said that American health care was horrible. The problem with your system is access. I have no doubt that some of the best hospitals in the world are in the US.
Our Premier is having his surgery in the US because it’s the only place where it is available right now. While Mr. Williams will no doubt be paying for his own care, given his wealth, if it was any other Canadian and they also had no choice but to go to the US for treatment, our system would pay for it.
The issue of health care in the US is extremely divisive and is used over and over again as both a good example and a bad example of universal health care. But nobody seems to really understand what our Canadian system is REALLY like.
My mother needed a heart valve replacement. She ignored her Cardiologist’s advice for years until she could no longer walk up a flight of stairs. Once she admitted she had a serious health problem, she was admitted to hospital within a couple of months. Due to her ignoring her problem for so long, a simple valve replacement didn’t fix all of her issues. So she also needed a pacemaker. She was in cardiac care for 4 weeks while they balanced her drugs with her “new” circulatory system. She is now 73 years old and in better shape than many 30 year-olds. Total cost: $0. Total claim to insurance: $0. And thanks to an excellent drug plan (that has a very low monthly cost), she pays exactly ZERO for her five different prescriptions.
4. February 2010 at 2:47 am
Hmmmm…… I’m confused. U all completely disagree with author yet just about every point u raise proves his/her theory- which I agree with by the way. Your horrible arguments include:1) premier just CANT GET a surgery APPOINTMENT in Canada2) There are times when US has treatments we DONT have in Canada. It’s all about who’s at the CUTTING EDGE of procdure.3)Once she admitted she had a serious health problems, she was admitted in A COUPLE MONTHS?
This has got to be the most pathetic argument for Universal Healthcare I have ever heard. and Debbie…. no offense…. I’m sure u r nice but u r in way over your head here. Take a step back and think about what u r saying before u type it. if u don’t like our system DONT USE IT!!!!
problem, she was admitted to hospital within a couple of months. Due to her ignori
3)